DUBAI – In its 26-page judgement, the ICC panel explained why it rejectedPCB’s Rs 447 crore compensation claim against the BCCI for not playing sixbilateral series between 2015 to 2023.
“In terms of any Indian tour to Pakistan, it was the PCB which was thesuppliant. It was the host country which benefitted from the revenues inrespect of such as tour.Bankrupts cannot be choosers, and while the PCB wascertainly not bankrupt, at the very least sacrifice of such a tour would,as Mr (Subhan) Ahmad (PCB COO) put it, ‘definitely make a dent in ourfinancial reserves’,” said the panel, PTI has revealed.
“The prospect of bilateral tours with India as tourist was, in the PCB’sown words, ‘the most valuable prize in world cricket’ but ex hypothesi forother ICC Members, not the BCCI itself.
“By contrast there was no necessity for the BCCI, the dominant force inworld cricket in the modern era, to play away against Pakistan. The BCCImay have had the wish, but it was the PCB which had the need.” The panelalso referred to the view of then BCCI GM Ratnakar Shetty on the resumptionof Indo-Pak cricketing ties.
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“The record shows unequivocally that it was the PCB which, from 9 January2014, the date of the ICC meeting in Dubai, took the initiative in seekingto agree future matches with the BCCI, not vice versa.
“Although it is common ground that, as Professor Shetty put it,’India-Pakistan matches are the best possible games that can happen andneither of these two boards would not like to have that’.” The panel tookinto account the tense relations between the two neighbours.
